Rethinking the concept of 'protection of civilians'

by Jaïr van der LijnIn November 2013 the United Nations Secretary-General is expected to release his next report on the protection of civilians (POC) in armed conflict. With the ongoing debates in anticipation of the report, and as the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan genocide approaches, now is the time to reflect on what the concept of POC has achieved so far, and how its implementation needs to be adjusted.

SIPRI investigation into North Korean smuggling published online

by Hugh Griffiths and Roope SiiritolaA ground-breaking SIPRI investigation of a North Korean ship involved in violating United Nations arms embargoes has been published by the online portal 38 North. Elements of SIPRI's analysis have been picked up by outlets including the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.

The challenges ahead for Iran's new President

Expert Comment by SIPRI Senior Researcher Bruce KoepkeThe election of cleric Hassan Rouhani as the seventh president of the Islamic Republic of Iran confirmed both the unpredictability and the enduring adaptability of Iran’s political landscape.

SIPRI Yearbook 2013 now available

Summary translations also onlineThe 44th edition of the SIPRI Yearbook includes coverage of developments during 2012 in armed conflict, peace operations and conflict management, military expenditure, international arms transfers, world nuclear forces and much more. Download the full contents list (PDF) or a summary (now in Dutch, English and French).

21–22 November 2013, University of California Berkeley(please note change of date)

The deadline for the 9th Annual Workshop of the Households in Conflict Network, 'The Economics of Genocide, Mass Murder and other Atrocities', is fast approaching. The organizers invite empirical papers that increase our understanding of the phenomenon of genocide and mass murder. Political economy and theoretical contributions will also be considered.

>> Hugh Griffiths spoke to Radio France International on reports of North Korean arms aboard Libyan-flagged ships destined for Syria. He was also interviewed by German television channel ARD 1 on recent arms supplies to the Syrian opposition.

Strengthening the European Union's Future Approach to WMD Non-proliferation

SIPRI Policy Paper no. 37In the 10 years since the European Union adopted its Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, it has succeeded in developing a distinctive approach to the non-proliferation of WMD. This timely report explores how the EU has approached the formidable task of implementing the WMD Strategy, evaluates the degree of success that has been achieved and outlines pragmatic changes that will make the effort more effective in the future.